Kandani Shrine
shrine
神谷神社
Kandani Shrine has a bright red worship hall (haiden) rebuilt in 1930, and behind it the Main Sanctuary, a smallish wooden structure that is one of the oldest extant shrine buildings in Japan.
Kandani Shrine sits near the Kandani River in the shadow of Mt. Shiramine, and its main sanctuary is one of the oldest extant shrine buildings in Japan. A ridge tag discovered during Taisho-era repairs revealed the current structure was built in 1219, placing it firmly in the Kamakura period. Its curved cypress-bark roof extending over wooden steps, supported by four square pillars, is typical of that era's architecture, earning it National Treasure designation in 1955. The shrine's own records suggest a founding date of 812. A Kamakura-period statue of a Shinto guardian deity is among the treasures, shown only on select occasions.
Want to visit Kandani Shrine?
Build a trip to Takamatsu